Early Acceptance to SUNY Upstate vs Risk it for top tier school

[Matt215]

Hello everyone! I hope this is the right section to post this sort of question in *Crosses fingers*

Last year I was accepted to SUNY Upstate's EAP program, the requirements of which are that I keep a 3.5 GPA and scored a 509 or above on the MCAT. I got above a 509 and keeping the 3.5 will be a walk in the park. The "problem" is that I did better than a 509, I ended up with a 520 (despite about 15 minutes of sleep), because I have a 3.95 GPA at my undergraduate institution and fairly extensive EC's I am now wondering if I should try to go for a "top-tier Med School" which would mean needing to drop the guaranteed spot at Upstate.

As I have seen commenters ask these sorts of questions of the OP on similar threads:
-I like the school (Upstate) atmosphere and the city of Syracuse
-My preferred specialty would be Emergency Medicine or Pediatrics, which seem to be fields that a good chunk of their (Upstate's) graduates go into.
- I did 4 years of undergrad research in neuroscience and would like to continue that if possible and Upstate just recently open a new building for that I believe.
-I would be paying in-state tuition
-I don't come from a family with money, so the tuition is all on me.
-By going to Upstate with above average numbers I should have a better chance for good scholarships correct?
-I have always believed how hard the student works matters much, much, more than the school attended, but I also don't want to lose out on an opportunity to get into a great medical school now and regret it later when it comes time for residency selection.

-Thanks, and sorry if any of this constitutes a stupid question.

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[personperson]

Hi!

I was actually in the exact same situation, being accepted to their EAP program (for the class of 2022). However, I decided against going there, for a few reasons.

1. I did my research, and it seemed like the school was going through transitions after almost losing their accreditation a few years back.
2. I had previously interviewed at other medical schools for early programs (Albany Med, etc,) and was just not too impressed with Upstate Medical College and especially with the tour/attitude of students.
3. And this is big, I am not in-state, so I'd be paying a huge amount.

I'm risking it because I feel like I would not be happy there/paying way too much when I could be going to my state school. I'd recommend visiting again, and making a decision from there, as I'm sure you could be accepted elsewhere if you wanted to put in the effort/money.

 

[HealthcareTheHumanRight]

If you think that you will regret it later for not taking the risk then its worth the regular cycle, just apply to lots of schools (20+). If money is an issue be sure to apply for Fee-Assistance-Program (FAP) through AAMC. Your stats are top notch so you have as good a chance at top schools as the next person, though nothing is for sure in med school app cycles and you need to apply to as many as possible to max odds.

If you are confident that you wont regret it/wonder what could have been, then consider the offer, especially is you like Upstate and set aside money for a snowblower.

 

[Darkkprince]

Hello everyone! I hope this is the right section to post this sort of question in *Crosses fingers*

Last year I was accepted to SUNY Upstate's EAP program, the requirements of which are that I keep a 3.5 GPA and scored a 509 or above on the MCAT. I got above a 509 and keeping the 3.5 will be a walk in the park. The "problem" is that I did better than a 509, I ended up with a 520 (despite about 15 minutes of sleep), because I have a 3.95 GPA at my undergraduate institution and fairly extensive EC's I am now wondering if I should try to go for a "top-tier Med School" which would mean needing to drop the guaranteed spot at Upstate.

As I have seen commenters ask these sorts of questions of the OP on similar threads:
-I like the school (Upstate) atmosphere and the city of Syracuse
-My preferred specialty would be Emergency Medicine or Pediatrics, which seem to be fields that a good chunk of their (Upstate's) graduates go into.
- I did 4 years of undergrad research in neuroscience and would like to continue that if possible and Upstate just recently open a new building for that I believe.
-I would be paying in-state tuition
-I don't come from a family with money, so the tuition is all on me.
-By going to Upstate with above average numbers I should have a better chance for good scholarships correct?
-I have always believed how hard the student works matters much, much, more than the school attended, but I also don't want to lose out on an opportunity to get into a great medical school now and regret it later when it comes time for residency selection.

-Thanks, and sorry if any of this constitutes a stupid question.

Just FYI in regards to your point on scholarships, the answer is no. Once you're locked in to upstate, you're locked in. You have no other options so you will be less likely to receive scholarships. They have no reason to incentivize you since they will be your only choice.


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[Darkkprince]

Also, if I were in your shoes, I would scrap Upstate and apply through the regular cycle. EM and Peds are not competitive, and you won't have an issue matching into them from anywhere. But if you change your mind and want to match into a competitive subspecialty, it will be significantly easier coming from a higher tier school. Of course, you haven't gotten into a top tier school yet, and this is all hypothetical, but if you're a normal human being with good interview skills (and solid ECs), I think you have a solid shot at a much better school.


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[wagonwheel23]

If I were you, I would apply via the regular process. You will likely be accepted with decent scholarships at "better" schools.

 

[VincentAdultman]

I would stay with SUNY. You're already in, by the sound of your post you like the school, and if youll be able to match into a competitive specialty (if you want that) provided you continue to excel as you have in undergrad.

 

[benjamin94559]

I'd risk it for the biscuit but thats just me

 

[nir00t101]

Hey, I'm in the exact same position as you and was wondering what you ended up deciding to do?

Hello everyone! I hope this is the right section to post this sort of question in *Crosses fingers*

Last year I was accepted to SUNY Upstate's EAP program, the requirements of which are that I keep a 3.5 GPA and scored a 509 or above on the MCAT. I got above a 509 and keeping the 3.5 will be a walk in the park. The "problem" is that I did better than a 509, I ended up with a 520 (despite about 15 minutes of sleep), because I have a 3.95 GPA at my undergraduate institution and fairly extensive EC's I am now wondering if I should try to go for a "top-tier Med School" which would mean needing to drop the guaranteed spot at Upstate.

As I have seen commenters ask these sorts of questions of the OP on similar threads:
-I like the school (Upstate) atmosphere and the city of Syracuse
-My preferred specialty would be Emergency Medicine or Pediatrics, which seem to be fields that a good chunk of their (Upstate's) graduates go into.
- I did 4 years of undergrad research in neuroscience and would like to continue that if possible and Upstate just recently open a new building for that I believe.
-I would be paying in-state tuition
-I don't come from a family with money, so the tuition is all on me.
-By going to Upstate with above average numbers I should have a better chance for good scholarships correct?
-I have always believed how hard the student works matters much, much, more than the school attended, but I also don't want to lose out on an opportunity to get into a great medical school now and regret it later when it comes time for residency selection.

-Thanks, and sorry if any of this constitutes a stupid question.

 

[Matt215]

Hey, I'm in the exact same position as you and was wondering what you ended up deciding to do?

Funny, someone else messaged me recently to ask about that as well. Tis the season. I actually ended up sticking it out with my acceptance to Upstate and was fortunate enough to get a full ride + $5k a semester from the school. I was floored. With admissions being more competitive than ever IMO I would take the safe bet. Plus, if you feel that you could reach for more that may be recognized in the form of a scholarship.

 

[ninam2000]

Just FYI in regards to your point on scholarships, the answer is no. Once you're locked in to upstate, you're locked in. You have no other options so you will be less likely to receive scholarships. They have no reason to incentivize you since they will be your only choice.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

What do you mean by locked in? Can't you withdraw the acceptance?

 

[drbatsandwich]

What do you mean by locked in? Can't you withdraw the acceptance?

Yeah, you can withdraw and take your chances at a regular cycle. I think Darkkprince just meant that going forward with upstate would mean less negotiating power. If you've got multiple acceptances, you can do some haggling.